Roller box tools for machine tools



p 19, 1961 A. SAUNDERS 3,000,247

ROLLER BOX TOOLS FOR MACHINE TOOLS Filed June 27, 1958 llllllllllINVENTOR AL BERT SAUN DERS 2W Mid United States Patent 3,000,247 ROLLERBOX TOOLS FOR MACHINE TOOLS Albert Saunders, Walton-on-Thames, England,assignor to Accurate Tools (Saunders) Limited, Surrey, England FiledJune 27, 1958, Ser. No. 745,214 Claims priority, application GreatBritain July 3, 1957 3 Claims. (Cl. 82-35) This invention relates toimprovements in roller box tools. Roller box tools according to theinvention are made in such a manner as to eliminate lengthy times insetting up by skilled setters, whereas unskilled operators can set uptheir own jobs in a very few minutes by simple adjustments. I-t isnecessary to adjust only one roller which in turn takes up an errors inthe machine between the head and tail stock and automaticallycentralises itself.

The tool is similarly easy to set for quick setting. Two rollers, onespring loaded, are adjusted through a train of gearing for centralisingand simultaneously operated, for various diameters. The tool iscontained in a housing which can be raised or lowered by an adjustingscrew on to the stock which is to be machined, after which the tool islocked for operation.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate one example of theinvention,

FIGURE 1 is a front elevation, partly in section of the roller box tool,the rollers and tool being in the innermost stock engaging position;

FIGURE 2 is a side sectional elevation on II-II, FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a rear elevation partly in section;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional detail of the tool carrier; and,

FIGURES 5 and 6 are detail views of the slide members.

A body member, generally designated 1 is provided with means forsecuring it to the turret or tail stock of a machine tool, for example,a back plate 2, screwed into the back of the body member, and providedwith a tail stock or turret engaging spigot 3. The machined stock passesthrough a central bore 4.

The front face of the body member 1 is provided with slots 5, 6, for thereception of slide members, generally designated 7, 8. Each of the slidemembers 7, 8, is provided with side flanges 9, 10. The slide members areretained in the body member 1 by retaining plates 13 secured to the faceof the body member.

The slide member 8 has a toothed rack 14 cut in the flange 9 and theslide member 7 has a toothed rack 14 cut in the flange 9.

Toothed racks 14 are engaged by gear pinions 16, 17. Both gear pinions16, 17 are double ended, that is, they both have a toothed gear wheel ateach end of a central stub shaft 18 carried in the body member 1. Thegear pinions mesh with a spur gear 22 mounted on a bush 23 in the bodymember 1.

A worm gear 24, meshes with the spur gear 22. The worm gear 24 has aplain end 25 terminating in a slotted head 26. The plain end 25 passesfreely through a flanged nut 27 screwed into the threaded upper portion28 of a compartment 29 in the body member 1. The flanged nut 27restrains the worm gear 24 from axial movement in one direction and aball 30, held in position by an adjusting grub screw 31 prevents axialmovement of the worm gear in the other direction.

From the foregoing description it will be obvious that rotation of theworm gear 24 will rotate the spur gear 22 and pinion gears 16, 17,causing the slide members 7, 8 to move radially inwardly or outwardly onthe toothed racks 14, 15, towards or away from the longitudinal axis ofthe bore of the body, thereby accommodating machined stock of difierentdiameter.

Patented Sept. 19, 196 1 Each slide member 7, 8, is provided at one endwith a stock engaging roller 32, 33 respectively.

The slide member 8 has its associated roller 33 mounted on a spindle 34having an enlarged keyed head 35 and a threaded portion 36. The spindle34 passes through a hole 37 in the slide member 8 and the threadedportion 36 is securely engaged by a nut 38 in a recess 39 in the rearface of the slide member 8, locking the spindle into place.

Ball tracks for balls 41 corresponding to a ball track on the spindleand a thrust washer 40 afford a running fit for the roller 33 whentightened, by the key in the head 35.

The slide member 7 has its associated roller 32 mounted on a spindle 42having an enlarged keyed head 43 and a threaded rear portion 44. Thespindle 42 passes through a slot 45 in the slide member 7 and thethreaded portion 44 has threaded thereon a nut 46 and washer 47 in arecess 48 in the rear surface of the slide member. When tightened up byrotating the head 43, the nut 46 and washer 47 bear against flanges 49in the recess 48. When the nut 46 is loosened the spindle 42 is free tomove up or down within the confines of the slot 42 subject to lockingmeans hereinafter described.

Ball tracks for balls 51 corresponding to a ball track on the spindleand a thrust washer 50 afford a running fit for the roller 32 whentightened by the head 43.

The upper portion of the slide member 7 is drilled as far as the slot 45and the upper end of the resultant hole 52 is tapped at 53. A spring 54is inserted in the hole and bears on the spindle 42. A pilot screw 55 isscrewed into the tapped hole 53, the pilot screw 55 having a shank 56,of reduced diameter.

When it is desired that machined stock should be passed through the boreof the body, an initial adjustment of the rollers 32, 33 is made toallow the machined stock to be passed into the bore, and anyinaccuracies of alignment between the stock feeding chuck and the turretor tail stock are accommodated by the resilient floating action of theroller 32 the spindle 42 of which can rise and fall within the confinesof the slot 45 under the action of the spring 54. Once the necessaryadjustment has been made the head 43 is turned to lock the spindle andthe pilot screw is advanced so that the shank 56 bears on the spindle 42to prevent undesirable radial movement.

A tool post housing 57 consists of a substantially rectangular boxhaving a stud 58 projecting from one end, the stud passing through aslot 59 in a lug 60 cast on the body member 1. A nut 61 clamps the toolpost housing to the lug 60 in any desired longitudinal axial positionwithin the confines of the slot 59.

A tool 62 is carried in a tool container 63 positioned within theconfines of the tool post housing 57. The tool 62 is locked in positionby a stud 64.

An adjusting screw 65 is carried in the tool post housing 57, the head66 of which protrudes beyond the tool post housing. The tool container63 is provided with a threaded side 67 engaging the adjusting screw 65so that rotation of the adjusting screw will move the tool containerr 63within the confines of the tool post housing 57, the remainder of thehole passing through the tool post carrier is cleared enabling theadjusting screw to be quickly raised or lowered when engaging the screwthread in the container.

The tool container is provided with a threaded tubular member 68 ontowhich is screwed a cap 69, at the opposite end of which is provided aflange 20. The cap 69 itself is provided with a tapped hole throughwhich is threaded an adjusting stud 70. Thus, when the stud 64 isloosened, the tool may be adjusted by manipulation of the adjusting stud70.

A quick setting of the tool relatively to the stock may be obtained bypulling the head 66 of the adjusting screw 65 outwardly, after looseningthe cap 69. The tool container 63 will thus be pulled to the end of thetool post housing. The head 66 is then released and the tool container,and tool, will slide towards the stock. When the tool has assumed'thecorrect position the tool container is clamped in position by tighteningthe cap 69.

A variety of tools may be fitted into the tool container.

In place of'the worm and spur adjustment described each pinion gear maybe adjusted, as by a key passed through the body member to enter a slotin the end face of a pinion gear.

I claim:

l. A roller box tool comprising a body member having a central openingtherethrough, synchronously adjustable rollermeans movable toward andaway from the center of said central opening, a tool housing having astud projecting therefrom, said body member having a lug with a slottherein through which said stud passes, means on said stud for fixingsaid housing in adjusted position along said slot, a tool container, achamber in said tool housing in which said tool container may slide andbeing elongated along the axis ofsaid stud and perpendicular'to the axisof said slot, a bolt "mounted in said tool housing for rotatablemovement and'extending in a direction parallel to the axis of said stud,said tool container being formed with a threaded opening therethrough inalignment with said bolt-so that turning said bolt moves the toolcontainer toward and away from said stud, a tool, an opening in saidtool container in which said tool is mounted and extending in .adirection normal to the axis of said slot and said stud, a set screw forholding said tool in fixed position with respect to said tool container,means for adjusting the position of said tool in said con- "tainerincluding a screw in the base of said container and extending along theaxis of said opening therein so .that the amount of tool projection.into the central opening may be adjusted when the set screw isreleased, said screw being at the lowest portion of the container andsaid tool housing being disposed at the lower portion of said bodymember so that when said screw is retracted said tool retracts from thecenter of the central opening by gravity, whereby the tool may beadjusted along three perpendicular planes.

2. A roller box 1061 as claimed in claim 1, wherein the synchronouslyadjustable roller means comprises two rollers one of which-is springbiased inwardly towards the center of the central opening.

3. A roller box toolcas claimed in claim 1, wherein the synchronouslyadjustable roller means includes radial slots communicating with thecentral opening, slides mounted for reciprocating movement in saidslots, roller supportingmeansoneach slide,-a roller supported by eachor" said means for rotation about an axis substantially parallel to theaxis of said central opening, only one of said means supporting itsroller resiliently for adjustment longitudinally of the respective slideand the other said means supporting the respective roller with its axisin fixed relation to the respective slide, and a gear train for movingsaid slides towards and away from the axis of said centralopen'ing inthe body member, said gear train including a-rack formed along onesurface of each-slide, a pinion engaged with each rack, a spur gearengaging said pin-ions, and a worm gear in driving relation with saidspur gearso that movement of said worm gear gives a correspond-mgmovement of said slides in the slots.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,056,097 Hartness Mar. l8,-.1;9;1-f-3 2,069,426 Smith Feb. 8, 1-937FOREIGN PATENTS 567;108 Great Britain Jan.,29,l945 129,833 AustraliaOct. 15, 1945

